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Headliners we’ve known

March 27, 2019July 29, 2008 by admin

Here’s a potential source of mirth and mayhem: Most of us who played regularly in San Diego had opportunities to open for bigger acts passing through town on tour. David Klowden recounted two chances to open for the Cramps; Ray Brandes and I shared a laugh over the excesses of Specimen when the Tell-Tale Hearts and 3 Guys Called Jesus opened for them at North Park Lions’ Club.

Who were your favorite headliners to open for/hang out with/mock/pilfer from? Who, not so much?

Based on ability; etiquette; prima-donnahood; and general entertainment value (intentional or otherwise), let’s sort out the keepers from the discards! No brown M&Ms!

Hair Theatre/Synesthesia/Decision, Jackie Robinson Y

January 1, 2011July 27, 2008 by admin

A disc I received from Hair Theatre guitarist Paul Allen adds new showpieces to the Che Underground flyer collection. Today, a trio of flyers advertising a single show March 7, 1986, at the Jackie Robinson YMCA, featuring Hair Theatre; Synesthesia (the great band led by Noise 292 co-founder Kristin Martin); and Decision (another terrific band that featured drum god Paul Brewin, who’d most recently played with Manual Scan).

This set demonstrates the tendency of individual shows to generate multiple flyers, often featuring a different “headliner” depending on the band running the photocopier. Exhibit A also showcases the artistry of David Dick, a new addition to our roster of flyer talent.

The Ho Hos: “Snowball”

January 1, 2011July 26, 2008 by admin

This number ties up a few narrative strands and bridges the San Diego-to-San Francisco gap that defined much of our post-Che Underground history.

“Snowball” is a song I wrote for 3 Guys Called Jesus in 1986. It’s performed here by the Ho Hos, the mid-’90s San Francisco group of San Diego expats that comprised me on vocals and guitar; ex-Morlocks bassist Jeff Lucas; Robert Labbe (former drummer for 3 Guys, the Forbidden Pigs and myriad other outfits); and Steve Lam, a marvelous guitarist and vocalist who met us in SF by way of Hong Kong. (Speaking of musical Che-chairs, this was a dream lineup for me.)

Then and now: Studio 517

January 1, 2011July 25, 2008 by admin

(Roving correspondent/ photographer Kristen Tobiason revisits and documents the scenes of our youth. Today, Studio 517 sheds its leathers for pinstripes.)

Studio 517 was in full swing during the summers of 1982-’83. Managed by Steve Epeneter — a tall, idiosyncratic fellow nicknamed “Lurch” — its concrete walls housed outstanding performances by the Gravedigger V, The Tell-Tale Hearts, The Wallflowers, Personal Conflict, The Front and many others.

Sean McDaniels (inveterate troll of San Diego hangouts) recalls, “It was only open in the summer, and it was hot. We hung out on the sidewalk out front or in the park more than we did inside where the bands were playing. I remember there was a Chinese lady who used to yell at us from across the street.”

The Answers: “Home”

January 21, 2018July 24, 2008 by admin

Here’s Answers Phase Two in kinetic action!

“[‘Home’] is from a performance at King’s Road, Aug. 13, 1982, opening for Banner,” writes guitarist/ vocalist/ songwriter Dave Fleminger. “Luv the impromptu intro with [MC] Jerry [Cornelius].

“As always, Dave Anderson delivers the powerhouse drumming that propels the breaks right out of the gate. One minute and 40 seconds in the key of A, all about an unfamiliar place with dirty dishes that remind you of home.”

Scooters in San Diego

December 11, 2017July 23, 2008 by admin

(Answers/Manual Scan/I Spy bassist Tony Suarez talks scooters with some help from the Cyndie Jaynes Collection of photos.)
Scooters — Vespas and Lambrettas in particular — were primary transport for many mods and punk kids even before the appearance of the Who movie “Quadrophenia” in late 1979. They were cheap and plentiful. You had three places to buy them (Vespa at the Beaches, Vespa of San Diego, Moped Mama). They showed up in the Reader Classifieds on the cheap.

Bart Mendoza relates that there were a few mods already in circulation by 1979. Dean Curtis, Kristine and James Harrell, Dennis Borlek, and Steve Medico were early adopters, and the movie just added to the interest.

These photos of San Diego mods and scooterists at Ski Beach in Mission Bay date from around 1984:

Then and now: La Posta

January 1, 2011July 22, 2008 by admin

(Roving correspondent/ photographer Kristen Tobiason revisits and documents the scenes of our youth. Today, rolling with the tacos at La Posta, 2008!)

Ah! La Posta. Our signature Southern California cuisine. …. Craving carne asada at 3am? No problem. The mighty little taco shop, La Posta, on 3rd and Washington, is still going strong just as it was 25 years ago. (Twenty-five years?! Jeebus!)

Back in the day it was all the nutrition we needed. Next to McDonald’s five-hamburgers-for-$1 deal, (the Morlocks were huge fans of Mickey D’s), it was a cheap feast. Who would have thunk that today we would be eating sushi?

More sides of David Klowden

March 27, 2019July 21, 2008 by admin

(5051 and Tell-Tale Hearts veteran David Klowden continues to explore his back pages with more artifacts of his crucified youth.)

Here are both sides of the 8 1/2 x 14 insert that was folded up and stuck in each of the records [the 1981 EP by seminal San Diego punk band 5051, vocals by David Klowden].

Also, two photos.

First is the only Crucified Youth-era (1980) photo I have of David GI (the punk nickname given me by Marc Rude — some thought I was called “GI” because of the ubiquitous Army jacket, but the real reason was because I was a Germs fan and that was the name of their album.) This picture was taken in San Carlos in front of the house between mine and Dennis Quick’s.

The Rockin’ Dogs at Saigon Palace

January 1, 2011July 18, 2008 by admin

Here’s a photo set from a memorable night in late 1983/early 1984 when the Rockin’ Dogs — guitarists/vocalists Dave Ellison and Sam Wilson; bassist Jane Bunting; and drummer Cole Smithey — took the stage with Noise 292 at Saigon Palace in what is now call the Gaslamp Quarter.

“The live color pics with Jane were the Saigon Palace!” Ellison recalls. “I was really sick, I had a fever and laryngitis really bad … to the point where I could do nothing but whisper for two weeks … so Sam sang all the songs that night.”

Then and now: Presidio Park

June 30, 2009July 17, 2008 by admin

(In the second installment of a series, roving correspondent/ photographer Kristen Tobiason revisits and documents the scenes of our youth. Today, we patrol Presidio Park, site of many an al fresco gathering ca. 1984.)

Presidio Park — a k a “Presids.”

Law Street. Ski Beach. Balboa Park. And Presidio. As soon as the question, “What we gonna do tonight?” was asked, a phone call was made and a few hours later, there would be over 50 kids hanging out in the Presidio Park Mission parking lot, sitting on that famous wall.

Drinking beer, hooking up with prospective partners for the make-out ditch down the hill — scooters would line up the length of the whole lot. It was like “Romper Room” for hormone-crazed teens. Flirting, yelling, chasing each other, having intellectual debates over some band’s inherent greatness versus another’s … I remember Mike Stax’s [Tell-Tale Hearts] and John Hanrattie’s [Gravedigger V] competition over The Pretty Things and The Stones, represented by the ‘zines they put out, namely Ugly Things and December’s Children. (We were pretty competitive!)